“A single, heartfelt gesture can reverberate louder than any stadium crowd.” This is indeed true for Jannik Sinner! Even after acquiring five titles, including two grand slams this season, his ongoing doping case threatens to sully his name in the sport. “It’s not in a situation where I feel comfortable in it..” Sinner had said ahead of his Shanghai Masters. But thankfully, it’s not all bad, as his loyal fans’ steadfast support has perhaps remained the same! And Darren Cahill’s acknowledgment of it has further captured everyone’s attention!
On October 5, a devoted Sinner fan expressed his wish on X and wrote, “My mother, 85 years old, a huge fan of Jannik. This morning I found her like this, watching one of her matches. If you like, share this photo, maybe, who knows, he’ll see it too.” The post had a picture of the elderly Italian woman sitting on her sofa and enjoying the match of Jannik Sinner on TV. For context, after enduring a China Open final-round defeat against Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner is now showcasing his skills in the Shanghai Masters.
After winning against Taro Daniel by 6-1, 6-4, the Italian hopes to do the same against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the round-of-32 match. And it seems cheering him on in his quest for victory is his fans of all ages! The heartfelt post captured Sinner’s coach, Cahill’s attention, as he bridged the gap between the player and his loyal followers by adding “Ciao 👋” ( meaning “Hi” in English) under the post.
Cahill has been a strong pillar of support for Sinner amid these turbulent times. Even after his initial success in the doping case, Cahill came forward and said, “I will just stress again that Jannik is the most professional young man that I’ve had a chance to work with, he’s a good man he’s been brought up with by wonderful parents. He’s honest to the core; you can see that in the way he plays.” Further referring to the case, he added how Sinner is a “great kid” and would never “intentionally” do anything wrong.
Talking about fans though, Sinner’s own kind gestures toward the fans are undeniable. Be it ensuring the ball girl’s safety during a match (his opening round match in Shanghai) or taking care of a sick fan in between a match (in the Miami Open). To him, “It’s great to be a good tennis player, but it’s even more important to be a great person.” Fans noticed a similar gesture last year after Jannik Sinner conquered the courts of Toronto as well!
Looking back at Jannik Sinner’s special gift for a young fan in the crowd!
It was a special victory for Jannik Sinner as he won his first ATP Masters 1000 title in the 2023 Canadian Open against Alex De Minaur in straight sets! The then-21-year-old became the youngest player to clinch the title after Alexander Zverev, making it a moment of double celebration! “It means a lot. It is a great result. One I can share with all the people who are close to me every day. It is a nice moment to share with them and we are doing the right things,” the Italian said in the post-match press conference.
One highlight of the match was when a young fan from the crowd, overwhelmed with emotions, couldn’t hide his tears. The then World No. 8 noticed it and went up to him, gave him a warm embrace, and even gifted him his own wristband! The moment captured in a video made fans appreciate Sinner’s kind gesture. As Jannik Sinner continues his ascent, Cahill’s latest response to the fan post serves as a poignant reminder that sports are beyond victories and rankings! It’s also about support and affection.